Speaking at an interaction with visiting former diplomats from Pakistan, at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, on April 7, 2005, Vice Admiral (Retired) K.K. Nayyar called for a complete "U-turn" in the policies of both India and Pakistan for normalising relations between the two neighbours.
Speaking at an interaction with visiting former diplomats from Pakistan, at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, on April 7, 2005, Vice Admiral (Retired) K.K. Nayyar called for a complete "U-turn" in the policies of both India and Pakistan for normalising relations between the two neighbours.
Vice Admiral Nayyar, Advisor to ORF Chairman Mr. R.K. Mishra was involved in many Track-II initiatives with Pakistan. The delegation from Pakistan consisted of 10 former diplomats and was led by a former acting Foreign Secretary, Mr Khalid Mahmood.
Ambassador Hamid Ansari, Distinguished Fellow, ORF, welcomed the distinguished gathering and moderated the interaction. He was earlier India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador in various capitals in West Asia & High Commissioner in Australia. Also he was Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.
Others who participated in the discussion included Prof Matin Zuberi, former member of India's National Security Advisory Board, Mr KP Singh, former Director of the Intelligence Bureau, Mr. Anil K. Agarwal, Alternate President of Assocham, and Mr Manavendra Singh, Member of Lok Sabha, India's Lower House of Parliament, representing Barmer constituency in Rajasthan.
Among any Indian district, Barmer shares the longest border with Pakistan, Mr Manenvendra Singh noted. He urged that, in the interest of the people from both the countries, Pakistan should speedily consider opening the land transit route between Rajasthan and Sindh that passes through his constituency, and, thus, promote people-to-people contacts.
Vice Admiral Nayyar said the need of the hour was a change in the mindset of people in both the countries, and building mutual trust through confidence-building measures (CBMs) before addressing key issues. Vice Admiral Nayyar, who was involved in the Track-II diplomacy with exiled Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief, said he agreed that President Musharaff has taken some bold steps towards normalizing relations with India.
Like Pakistan, India, too, has taken bold steps, he said. "The fact that India is now ready to negotiate on Kashmir issue itself is a big, bold step which people in Pakistan are failing to understand."
Mr. Anil K. Agarwal emphasized the need to increase trade between India and Pakistan. He said Pakistan could easily import items like tea and iron ore, instead of far away countries like Kenya.
Mr Khalid Mahmood, leader of the Pakistani delegation, pointed that despite India giving Pakistan the Most Favored Nation status, Pakistani exports have come down while Indian exports have gone up, hitting many indigenous companies and increasing the balance of trade.
Mr. Mahmood said a working group was studying the problems, but agreed that both the countries should increase their economic cooperation to strengthen the ongoing peace process.
Prof. Matin Zuberi said nuclear India and Pakistan were no more competitors, and they should cooperate and coordinate their efforts to achieve their common goal - a place in the elite nuclear club. The Pakistani former diplomats agreed that it was a good suggestion. Mr Fatmi Rehman said Pakistan had sent its response to India on NPT-related issues and was awaiting a reply.
Mr Khalid Mahmood said "some movements, and not even solution" were required to keep the peace process ongoing and create and sustain public opinion to improve relations between the two countries. He said "some movement" was also required in the question of the Kashmir problem.
Mr K.P. Singh said terrorism was the main the hurdle in the peace process. Saying that India has clear proof of terrorists training camps in Pakistan and Pakistani militants operating in India, he cautioned Pakistan that if another attack took place either on Parliament or Amarnath Yatra, the annual pilgrimage undertaken by Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir, it would be the end of the peace process.
"The peace process cannot be speeded up unless sponsoring and supporting terrorism is stopped," he said. He also said that Kashmiris did not think that Hurriyat Conference represented them. "They all know that where the Hurriyat Conference is getting money from," Mr K.P. Singh said.
Mr Singh also reminded the former Pakistani diplomats of India's earlier demand for handing-over to New Delhi
20 most wanted persons --residing in Pakistan and wanted in India for various terrorist activities. He said, "All, including media in your country, know that they are staying in Pakistan. Why deny this fact? I have no objection if your country gives them citizenship and say they are our citizens". *****
India's List of 20 Most Wanted Persons Residing in Pakistan
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Maulana Azhar Masood, leader of Jaish-i-Mohammad, involved in the attack on India's Parliament, on December 13, 2001. He is also wanted for an attack on the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislative Assembly on October 1, 2001, in which 38 people were killed.
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Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, co-founder of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), also involved in the attack on Parliament. India says he operates from Muridke town, near Lahore.
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Dawood Ibrahim, Indian underworld don, who planned and financed 13 explosions in ORF Mumbai in 1993 in which almost 300 people died. He is wanted in connection with cases of arms supply, counterfeiting, drugs trade, funding alleged criminals, murder and smuggling. India says he lives in Karachi.
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Chhota Shakeel, a key associate of Ibrahim. Wanted for murder, extortion, kidnapping, blackmail of businessmen and film stars. India also alleges he is a top spy for the ISI, living in Karachi.
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"Tiger" Ibrahim Memon, who executed the 1993 ORF Mumbai blasts. He is wanted in cases of murder, extortion, kidnapping, terrorism and smuggling arms and explosives. Memon, another key associate of Ibrahim, lives in Karachi and travels frequently to Dubai, according to the Indian list.
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Ayub Memon, who executed the 1993 ORF Mumbai blasts. He helped his brother Ibrahim Memon carry out the blasts. He is wanted in cases of terrorism and smuggling. India says he lives in Karachi.
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Abdul Razzak, involved in the ORF Mumbai blasts. He is wanted in cases of terrorism and arms smuggling. India says he lives in Karachi.
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Syed Salahuddin, head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, which has claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks on Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. India says he lives in Muzaffarabad.
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Ibrahim Athar, an associate of Maulana Azhar Masood and one of the hijackers of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 that was hijacked to Kandahar in Afghanistan, while on its way from Kathmandu to New Delhi in December 1999. He is a member of Jaish-e-Mohammad and is wanted for hijacking, kidnapping and murder. India says he lives in Bahawalpur.
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Zahoor Ibrahim Mistri, a member of Harkat-ul-Ansar, which later changed its name to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. He is wanted in connection with the hijacking of IC-814 and in cases of kidnapping and murder. The Indian list says Mistri lives in Karachi.
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Shahid Akhtar Sayed is wanted for the IC-814 hijacking and for kidnapping and murder. According to New Delhi, he lives in Karachi.
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Azhar Yusuf is wanted in the IC-814 hijacking case and in cases of kidnapping and murder. India says he is in Karachi.
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Abdul Karim involved in over 30 bomb blasts in Delhi and parts of northern India in 1996-97. India says he is in Lahore.
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Ishaq Atta Hussain, an associate of Dawood Ibrahim, is wanted in connection with a conspiracy to kill the then Indian Home Minister, L.K. Advani. India says he lives in Karachi.
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Sagir Sabir Ali Shaikh, an associate of Dawood Ibrahim, is also wanted in connection with the conspiracy to kill Advani. India says he too lives in Karachi.
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Wadhawan Singh Babbar, chief of Sikh terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International, which was involved in terrorist-secessionist campaign in the Indian Punjab during the 1980s. He is wanted in over a dozen cases of sedition, murder and in connection with the assassination of the then chief minister of Punjab, Beant Singh. India says he lives in Lahore.
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Ranjit Singh Neeta, chief of Khalistan Zindabad Force. He is wanted in cases of murder, bomb blasts and smuggling of arms. The Indian list says he lives in Lahore.
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Paramjit Singh Panjwar, leader of the Khalistan Commando Force. He is wanted for trying to revive Sikh terrorism in Punjab and is wanted in more than a dozen cases of murder, treason, conspiracy and arms smuggling.He lives in Lahore, according to thelist.
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Lakhbir Singh Rode, leader of the International Sikh Youth Federation, is wanted in cases of arms smuggling, conspiracy to attack government leaders in Delhi and inciting religious hatred in Punjab. He lives in Lahore, India says.
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Gajinder Singh, leader of Sikh group Dal Khalsa, is involved in hijacking an Indian Airlines plane from Srinagar to Delhi in 1981. He was arrested by Pakistan after he hijacked the plane to Lahore and tried. India says he lives in Lahore after his release from prison.
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